By SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA – Malacañang has confirmed it received a letter from a senator in 2012 seeking P250 million to bankroll livelihood projects for farmers.
Draft letters addressed to President Benigno Aquino III and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. were retrieved from the hard disk files of pork barrel whistleblower Benhur Luy.
“In June 2012, the Office of the President received a letter from Sen. Jinggoy Estrada requesting funding support amounting to P250 million for livelihood projects for small farmers located in various provinces,” the Office of the Executive Secretary said in a statement.
“As with requests of this nature, as well as those addressed to the President, the said letter was endorsed to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for appropriate action. Per initial inquiries with the DBM, no action was taken on the said request,” it added.
Estrada has been charged with plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund.
Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. earlier brushed aside attempts to link Ochoa to the pork barrel scam.
“We note that the deleted files purportedly pertained to unsigned draft letters addressed to certain lawmakers and to Secretary Ochoa. Hence, this could hardly be considered as having any probative value,” Coloma said./PN
